The Chef’s Council: bringing haute cuisine to dysphagia cooking 

Nutricia formed the Chefs’ Council: a unique partnership of dysphagia experts (including healthcare professionals, patients and carers), as well as world-class chefs, who work together to improve quality of life for patients who have been diagnosed with swallowing difficulties. The Council’s ultimate aim is to improve the dining experience of dysphagia patients by developing dysphagia diets that include foods and drinks which are not only safe and nutritious, but appetizing too.

Try the minced beef or Bolognese sauce recipe

Preparing food for someone with dysphagia becomes easier with practice. Try this quick and simple minced beef or Bolognese sauce recipe to help learn the basic skills when cooking for someone with dysphagia. 

What is the Dysphagia Act?

Experts from across Europe met at the first Chefs’ Council meeting in Barcelona in 2017 and have since worked together to develop recipes to inspire and inform chefs and carers involved in preparing dysphagia meals, whether in hospitals and institutions, or at home. They have also jointly developed, and pledged to implement, the guiding principles of the Dysphagia Act.

It is the fundamental belief of the Chef’s Council that patients with dysphagia deserve to enjoy mealtimes, so their quality of life can be maintained as much as possible. No matter whether they are in hospital, a care facility or at home, tasty, nutritious food has the power to transform patient lives. This conviction is central to the work of the Chefs’ Council and the development of the Dysphagia Act – a collective movement towards providing better food for patients – contributing to encouraging healthier eating and drinking habits. 

The Dysphagia Act is founded on three key principles

SAFETY: People with dysphagia need food and drinks of a specific consistency in order to swallow safely. Ensuring a safer food experience also means effective handwashing, kitchen cleanliness and appropriate food storage.

NUTRITION: Good nutrition has an important role in the survival, recovery and wellbeing of people with dysphagia. Diets should be nutritionally balanced and include a wide variety of food and drinks.

PLEASURE: Eating an enjoyable meal is everyone's right, and providing pleasure through food and drink is a priority for chefs and carers. Taste, smell and presentation are key factors in achieving a pleasurable food experience.

Dysphagia Connect: Nutricia's support from diagnosis and beyond

A diagnosis of dysphagia can be a worrying time for all concerned. Many with dysphagia, and those who care for them, may be unsure how to cope with new ways of preparing food and drinks in the days and weeks following diagnosis.